Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve NV (Champagne, France) - [JS 95] [WA 92] [VM 92] [JD 92] [WE 92] [WS 92]

Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve NV
(Champagne, France) - [JS 95] [WA 92] [VM 92] [JD 92] [WE 92] [WS 92]


$125.00 $75.97 Save $49.03
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JS95 WA92 VM92 JD92 WE92 WS92
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About the Winery:
The winery was founded in 1851 by 28-year-old Charles-Camille Heidsieck. The very next year he took the unusual step, at that time, of journeying to the United States to sell his Champagne. In fact, he was the first Champagne producer to visit the U.S.A.  "Champagne Charlie", as he became known, was a gracious gentleman and a born salesman, personally selling 300,000 bottles of his Champagne in the U.S. in one year! With a beginning like that, you would think that Charles Heidsieck would be a big-selling, well-known Champagne in the U.S. and throughout the world. But it is not.

The winery has undergone a number of changes of control during the 20th century and in 1985, Rémy Martin Cognac (a.k.a. Rémy-Cointreau) purchased both Champagnes Charles Heidsieck and Piper-Heidsieck(it had purchased Champagne Krug previously). Rémy-Cointreau's first move was to re-hire the brilliant Daniel Thibault in 1986 to be Chef de Caves for Charles Heidsieck. Régis Camus joined Charles Heidsieck as assistant winemaker in 1994 and has been the head winemaker of the House since 2002, since the untimely death of Daniel Thibault. In 2011, the winery was sold to the privately-owned French luxury goods group EPI founded by Christopher Descours (of Ralph Lauren fame).

Notes from the Winemaker:

COMPLEX THEREFORE INTRIGUING... IN CHARLES’ IMAGE. Particularly renowned for its unique aromatic signature, this non-vintage champagne delivers a complex and indulgent nose with a precise, yet luscious mouthfeel that testify to a quality that the world’s most accomplished tasters and aficionados can recognise blind.

THREE MAIN CRUS, ESSENTIAL TO CHARLES' SIGNATURE. Among the sixty Champagne crus chosen to make this emblematic cuvée, three are pillars of the Brut Réserve style: Oger (Grand Cru Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs) brings its fleshy and generous notes; Ambonnay (Grand Cru Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims) is synonymous with power, structure and fruity notes; and Verneuil (Meunier from the Vallée de la Marne), ensures its balance and its smooth texture.

Sophisticated combination of up to 150 still wines and strict selection of juices drawn exclusively from the 1st press.

The blend can exceed 50% of reserve wines, aged up to 20 years. A very high proportion compared to the 15-20% usual average of most direct competitors. Prolonged ageing of 3 to 4 years in chalk cellars, well beyond the norms of the region.

Discerning selection of some 60 crus from less than 20% of the Champagne crus.

BLEND: 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay and 20% Meunier
VINIFICATION: cru by cru, varietal by varietal, in stainless steel vats 5 to 10% of wine vinified in old Burgundy oak barrels

Tasting Notes:
EYE: The Brut Réserve boasts a deep golden hue. Delicate, vivacious and long-lasting bubbles are the result of a long, slow maturing process in chalk cellars*.

NOSE: Thanks to 50% of reserve wines, the blend offers an elegant nose: freshly baked brioche, rich toasted notes and sun-drenched fruits - mango, apricot and mirabelle plum - accented by dried fruits, pistachio and almond.

PALATE: The texture is reminiscent of a crisp layer of nougatine on a velvety cream pastry, filled with plump red plums and ripe cherries. The selection of reserve wines gives the wine lushness. The finish reveals a touch of praline along with vanilla and glazed notes.

Ratings & Reviews

95 Points - James Suckling:
"Really fine bubbles. Extremely intense, showing dried apples, peaches and light apricots with brioche and pie crust. Medium-bodied with a creamy texture and a long, long finish. Very subtle. A blend of pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier. 10% of the 2020 base wine fermented and aged in barrel. Dosage 8 g/L. Drink now." (Jul 2025)

92 Points - Wine Advocate:
"Based on the 2019 vintage and enriched by 50% reserve wines—stored in steel tanks and incorporating some 100 individual wines, averaging a decade in age—Charles Heidsieck’s NV Brut Réserve opens with aromas of candied lemon peel, ripe pear and pineapple mingling with buttered toast and a hint of burnt sugar. On the palate, it is medium- to full-bodied, charming and textural, with a sweet and fleshy fruit core, succulent yet vibrant acidity and a persistent, toasty finish. Disgorged in 2024 with a dosage of nine grams per liter, after nearly four years aging sur lattes, it represents another strong rendition of this reliable cuvée." – KK (Sep 2025)

92 Points - Vinous Media:
"The NV Brut Réserve blends 40% each of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with 20% Pinot Meunier, containing up to 50% aged reserve wines. It spent four years on lees and opens with its characteristic smoky, sultry reduction. Redcurrant and lemon follow, leading to an ultra-clear, bright, vivid palate that is limpid with Chardonnay and structured with Pinot fruit, managing to be rich and rounded without a gram of fat. Supple autolysis appears as slightly peppery rye crumb, sitting well with this reductive style. Dosage is 9 grams per liter. (Lot L230718-3167)" - Anne Krebiehl MW (Mar 2024)

92 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"The NV Champagne Reserve Brut, a blend of 40% each Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and 20% Meunier, pours a yellow/golden color and is generous and inviting, with loads of classic charm in its notes of brioche, ripe peaches, honied citrus, and fresh flowers. The palate is medium framed but fleshed out by a rounded mousse and has a suggestion of decadence as well as a clean finish. This highly appealing multi-vintage cuvée sees a high percentage of reserve wine going into the final blend, which adds a very well-integrated and layered feel. Drink now or over the coming 5-7 years. Disgorged 2022." – Audrey Frick (Dec 2024)

92 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"A vibrant Champagne with a white fruit aroma offers a touch of maturity and richness that is typical of the Charles Heidsieck style. Red apples, citrus and toast give the wine a fine balance." - Roger Voss (Dec 2024)

92 Points - Wine Spectator:
"Hints of brioche and lemon meringue pie enrich the flavors of cassis and apricot fruit, pickled ginger, smoke and roasted hazelnut in this classy Champagne, backed by vibrant acidity. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Disgorged 2024. Drink now through 2030. 5,000 cases imported." - AN (Dec 2025)